All posts tagged art

It is a pleasure to have Wayne Wilson’s art on our walls for the month of December! Come down to the cafe and see the works in person.

Landscape and panoramic imagery clearly dominate my current art work. For the most part, this grows out of a strong notion that there is something attractively primal in the panoramic format. The eye, sweeping side to side, pays a kind of homage to the horizon – and in every culture, it seems to me, the horizon both pushes and pulls us to its brink and beyond. Some of my other compellingly strong tendencies, however, are more strongly drawn toward the eclectic and bring influences from still life and the abstract.
As a geographer by training, it has always struck me that the nature of space and/or place are never merely important to the expression of who we are; they are critical. I try to find that in my art; to distil the place and reveal its own rhythm.

BiographyI was born in Lillooet, BC in a house my father built out of railway ties. He had grown up in the Okanagan (Oliver) and, after moving around British Columbia as a school teacher, we moved back to the Okanagan (Kelowna) in the 1960s. I have worked as a cowboy, truck driver, lounge singer, purchasing agent, college professor, narrator and at many other jobs – I spent most of my career, however, in the Museum field and loved every day of that work.
Sketching and other artwork have been part of my life since I was a teenager, and since then I have taken a sketchbook and paints with me wherever I go.

More about Hayley Stewart:Originally from Ontario, Hayley studied fine art at the Ontario College of Art & Design. Toronto’s culturally rich metropolis, although inexhaustibly energetic, left a void in her style. She migrated west lured first by the ocean to Tofino and later by the mountains to Golden, British Colombia. In these flourishing landscapes, Hayley developed a voice synchronized to the natural aesthetics of the world. Currently residing in Calgary, Alberta, Hayley works part time in the theatrical industry as well as pursuing her own artistic career.

Hayley’s most influential discoveries as an artist were made exploring the beautiful and vast wilderness of Western Canada. In these inspiring settings she became vividly aware of some peculiar connections. A glance at nature reveals an overwhelming diversity. However, it turns out patterns and forms are repeated and the immense variety that nature creates emerges from the workings and reworking’s of only a few formal themes. Hayley often emulates these patterns of tree roots, veins, grains, and intestine-like meanders.

Hayley’s process begins on canvas with aerosol paint. There are typically two stages; chaos & order. Phase one, is explorative and expressive. Aerosol paint is applied, using a variety of techniques, with no intentions or foresights of the outcome. The second phase, is much more deliberate & controlled. She sketches, maps and plans the foreground, with meticulous detail. This contrast in her work creates balance & visual complexity. Common in all her work, is the use of bold colour. Hayley has an undeniable and inescapable attraction to saturated colour. Fascinated by the beauty, mystery & behaviours of animals, the appearance of intriguing creatures is common in her works.

Continuously exploring new processes, techniques, and mediums, Hayley aims not only for her pieces to be aesthetically pleasing, but also to draw attention to the beautiful details in life that are sometimes overlooked.

Nikki Balfour BioBorn in BC and growing up in the Okanangan, Nikki has been exposed and inspired by the beauty of the mountains and lakes. In her younger years Nikki was often found sketching in her text books where a common theme of figures, faces, and details of nature often appeared. After high school she pursued her love for makeup artistry and graduated in 2002. In late 2005 an opportunity presented itself to pursue art full time and she took the leap, she has been devoted to painting ever since, always knowing she wanted to have a job where she could reign in her love for creativity. What began as an innocent love for color, textures and paint, soon grew into a love and appreciation for sharing her art with the public. This in turn led to getting involved with community events, artist talks, and solo/group shows within BC.

Nikki first began painting about ten years ago, and through an attitude of openness and discovery, she developed her own unique techniques of freestyle abstract painting. Inspired by the colors on her palette, the music on her playlist, and the ideas floating around in her mind she begins to paint, working in the moment allowing the paint to move and wander on the canvas. She often describes the process like dancing on canvas with a paint brush; abstract, expressive, and free. She enjoys the therapy this process brings her and finds it fulfilling when people respond with feeling and emotion from her art.

We are happy to have the paintings of Nicole Young on our walls for the month of October! Nicole is a local artist working and living in the Kelowna. Come down to the cafe to see her artwork in person!

Nicole Young is an artist living and working in Kelowna, B.C. She primarily works in the medium of painting, but also explores drawing, installation and sculpture. She is currently finishing her final year of her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Art History at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Her paintings have been exhibited at multiple locations throughout the Okanagan region. Currently her works are focused on abstraction of the natural landscape and the body.

We have art on our walls for the month of September by local artist Carrie Harper! Carrie Harper is a mixed Media artist living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Come down to the Streaming Cafe to see her works in person!

Bio:
~Art is not the pieces we make or sell but our bravery to tell a story that no other can tell~

I remember the first time I said “artist” in relationship to myself. I puked up alittle of my lunch as the word left my mouth. It’s a funny thing, it felt like a brag or ego trip. I went home that night and thought about the power I attached to my vocation. If I was a plumber or a lawyer I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have had the same bile flavour as ‘Artist’. I believe that being an artist, working as someone who imagines and subsequently makes from imaginings, requires courage. I’ve never thought of myself as a brave person because I think I wished for more courage. It’s a relative thing and I realize that I am courageous though I have experienced turmoil and joy in my life. I am a student of all things Art and Spirituality, I hold dear that those two things are one and the same. I have the courage and surprisingly, the humility to call myself an artist, now, and my closest relationships are with artists so in 2013 I started heART school. I named it, created it and operate it out of a desire to perpetuate learning through creativity, collaboration and connectivity.

I studied at The Alberta College of Art and Design in the early 1990’s and discovered my own language of creativity above all else. I’m a mixed media painter who uses collage, paint, drawing and unexpected mediums. As my life is in constant flux and reformation so is my process that is reflected in my paintings. I know for sure that I will dream up and execute ideas until I’m one day unable and I will share openly my ways of an abundant life in the arts.Art as I know it is the story of human connection and the way we come together around those things. “Our digital devices have become a definer of our identities much like cars did in the last century. I see art as being part of that definition. Lately, I have been getting my art onto many people’s devices in my local area and would love to extend it out into the world.”

We have new photography on our walls for the month of august by local artist Elysse Bujold! Elysse explores abstract photography, capturing natural elements with the use of mirrors and light. Come down to the Streaming Cafe to see her work in person!

“Elysse is a photographer who resides in the beautiful Okanagan valley. Originally born and raised in Guelph, Ontario, she moved to British Columbia when she was eighteen to further her artistic passions and abilities. After struggling through many different mediums, she finally found her niche in abstract photography. Elysse works with mirrors, and natural water resources to produce images that are affected by the movement of water, which continuously alters the image and model. With each image, the state of the water changes aspects of the human form. It may elongate limbs, blur faces, remove aspects of the model’s form altogether, and even make them completely unrecognizable. Her love of abstract photography, black and white imagery, and the use of light and water together are all important aspects to her photo based creations. She has made Kelowna her home and plans on staying in BC to further her education as well as her artist practice.”

The Streaming Cafe has new photography on our walls for the month of April by Nils Loewen! Come to the cafe to see his photos in person.

‘Cloudscapes’ by Nils Loewen

“There is always more than the eye or the camera can see. Through layered exposures and digital manipulation, unseen colours and depth emerge to reflect reality – that there is always more than we can see.

Nils moved from Winnipeg to the Okanagan in 2012 to play cello in the duo ‘Windborn’. He is now involved in the musical and artistic community of Kelowna as much as possible between extensive touring and summers spent treeplanting.”

The Streaming Cafe is excited to have the artwork of Marissa Baerg on display for the remainder of march! Marissa paints beautiful imagery and scenic landscapes with coffee pigments. Come to the Streaming Cafe to see her work in person.

These are some of the words that have been defining characteristics in Marissa’s life. She is an adventurer at heart and has had the privilege of traveling and living all over the world. As a self-taught artist with a love for variety and experimentation, she is often seen trying out new styles and techniques. Having explored many diverse cultures, her inspiration can often come from the most unique places.
Her newest series of paintings was originally influenced during a recent trip to Mexico. She encountered a local Mexican artist that was exploring coffee as his painting medium. She was intrigued and idea stuck with her. Since then Marissa has taken the idea of painting with coffee and incorporated it into her art.”

If you’d like to participate in her artistic journey please feel free to contact her.

We are happy to be featuring the latest photo series by Mark Coffey: “Edge of Frozen” . The photos will be up on our walls for the month of January so come down and look more into Mark Coffey @ http://markcoffey.ca .

On Wednesday, January 29th from 6pm – 9pm we will be Mark Coffey will be presenting a Closing Reception at Streaming Cafe. Facebook event

Mark Coffey: “Edge of Frozen” Series…
Becoming more fluid than frozen and moving north. The transition from frozen to fluid is a most important and delicate balance. It is where global warming has the strongest of impacts; a space where white becomes blue in the matter of the smallest degrees. Our planet – becoming more fluid than frozen and moving north.

The Streaming Cafe is pleased to have the photography of Andrew Lipsett up on the walls for the month of December! We invite you to join us for an art reception on December 11th at the Streaming Cafe to meet the artist and view his work!

“Ever since Andrew Lipsett was a small child he loved photos. Seeing the process of family portraits being taken, the documenting of vacations, and pictures being taken around the house. Then the next step, with the film being sent away. The excitement of opening the envelope when the processed film arrived back to see the slides, if his father had taken them, or prints if his mother had taken them! At that point his mother would add to the photo album, or if that one was too full, make a new photo album. Andrew loved going through those photos then as much as he does today, decades later. His life and families life documented in 1/250 of second increments, photos that trigger memories, photos that never fade like memories can. Each one has a story, not just documenting a moment, but documenting a day or a month, perhaps a vacation or a wedding, a family event or a new home. The whole thing in one or two pictures! Amazing!

Andrew still remembers buying his first “126” camera for $12 when he was 14 and then buying his first 35 mm camera one day after his 16th birthday. He subscribed to two photo magazines so he could learn how to improve his skills and then proceeded to take a LOT of landscape, family portraits and general scenery pictures! Weddings of family friends and then personal friends provided a great opportunity to expand creatively.

Andrew loves capturing the moment in time, the essence of a person during a portrait session or candid moments during a wedding. Freezing perfect light coming through the window of a home, or landscapes with a vineyard being lit by the early morning sun or the setting sun over the lakes of the Okanagan. The technical side of a commercial shoot, and the imagination to create an emotional link between the viewer and the product. ”